Fastening device for electric wires



J1me 1953 e. A. TINNERMAN FASTENING DEVICE FOR ELECTRIC WIRES Original Filed Jan. 11, 1945 mm in T f m n mu A M E a e 4 ww 6 I application a:

Ition Ser.:.No. 572,311, filed January 11,-1945, now .Patent,No. 2,512,982, issued June 27, 1950, for a Patented June 16, 1953 FASTENINGDEYICE FOR ELECTRIC WIRES George A; Tinnerman, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to Tinnerman Products Inc., Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Original application January 11, 1945, Serial No. 572,311, now Pate'nt'No. 2,512,982, dated June 27, 1950. Divided and this application Febru- ---ary24,1950, Serial N0.146,120 Pi 3- Clai1ns. (01. 24-18) division of; my applicaiFastening Device-for Electric Wires.

This invention .relates to a clamp adaptedjto' surround a longitudinally. extending body, such nfor exampleas. an assembly of wires and provide -means forthe attachment thereof to asupport. 1-;='fl3he 1invention finds 1; particular applicability in '.the1..assembly of. wires in anaircraft structure,

although it is equallylsuitable for. similaruse wherever a bundle of wires is to be supported assembledrelationship. 7

An object of the invention is to provide a clamp whichmay -be closed upon agroup of--wires and which re ate to hold-th wir s i c p c form preliminary to the attachment thereof. to

f a support, whereby the wires ma beeffectively .fi'a's sembled. into a longitudinally.extending bundlfe for subsequent 'attachmentiof the clamp to .i'the'suppcrt'. 'f:"'f Al'lI aC;dltlOlla;1 object of 'the invention is to so ""dnake-the clampasto-effect a tight fitting engagement around the wires to be supported without damaging the insulation or covering for the wires. Additionally, the invention contemplates a clamp construction'wherein'the size of the bundle to be clamped is relatively unlimited in that the loop portion of the clampwhich embraces the Wire is adjustable for any size of bundle. I

An additional object is to provide a clamp wherein the'loop portion thereof is automatically locked by the'spring tension inherent in the loop supporting structure and embodies a part of the clamp'assembly.

Referring now to the drawings, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a clamp embodying the present invention and utilized for holding a bundle of wires in assembled relationship; Fig. 2 is a perspective View of the clamp showing one end of the loop strip fastened to the clamp body; Fig. 3 is a section taken on a plane indicated by the line 33 in Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a section taken on a. plane indicated by the line 4-4 in Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a side view of a modified form of construction; Fig. 6 is a section taken on a plane indicated by the line 66 in Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a perspective view similar to Fig. 1 but showing a slightly modified form of fastener.

As shown in Figs. 1 to 7, the clamp has a body structure and loop structure, with the body structure being formed to hold the loop frictionally in clamping engagement about a bundle of wires. For this purpose the body structure comprises a stripof metal having spring-like. characteristics that is reversely bent. interme- I diate its'end to provide an arm ll] which has an aperture II for receiving a screw or the like [2 for attaching it to a support indicated at I3. The intermediately bent portion of the body structure is indicated at I4 as comprising a relatively wide loop which has a slot l5 extending longitudinally thereof and adapted to receive theends of aflexible strip It which comprises the loop structure that is fittedaround the bundle of wires ,or otherobject to be supported. In the illustration of Figs. 1' to 4, inclusive, one

end I? of the loop strip is rigidly fastened to thearm l0, preferably by crimping a portion l8 of the arm around the strip, while the other end,

- after being passed around the bundle of wires is inserted through the slot neath the spring arm 9.- V I l To assure the retention of; the loop 2B, the arm 9 extends inwardly toward the arm it from the intermediate portion l4 and then abruptly outwardly, therebyforminga blunt edged ridge 2| that is adapted to. engage the end 29 of the loop and to exert sufficient pressure thereagainst, by virtue of the inherent spring tension in the arm 9, to hold the loop in assembled relationship about a bundle of Wires or other articles to be supported.

By making the arm 9 in a substantial V-shape, the free end portion provides a finger grip part [5, and then underby. means of which the arm may be lifted to in-v sert the end of the flexible strip therebeneath. It is to be understood that the free end of the strip will be pulled tightly about a bundle of wires, and that when the arm 9 is released, the

7 loop is shown as comprising a flat strip 25, rectangular in shape, and in this modification the end llA need not be rigidly fastened to the body structure but instead may be passed beneath the end 20A, whereby both ends of the strip are frictionally clamped by the arm 9A against the arm IDA. In this Way, the length of a strip to be used for the loop portion may be cut in the desired length to suit the size of the bundle of wires or other object to be supported at the aeereos that round in cross section and is similar to that illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, but in this case the ends HB and 28B are clamped frictionally in side by side relationship against the arm NB by means of the spring tension in the arm IDA. In this type of construction, as in the modification of Fig. 5, the looped material may be out from a coil to the size desired at the time of use. I

An advantage of a clamp made in accordance with the present invention is the fact that the body structure embodies a one-piece element that may be stamped and formed from strip stock, and that the loop may be readily furnished in ample size to cover a wide range of sizes of articles to be held thereby. The clamping action upon the loop forming strip is efiected by the spring tension'of the body structure. One end of the strip may be anchored to the body structure and the other end clamped independently of the anchored end or both ends may be unattached to the fastener body and clamped in tensioned position by the body structure. In either case I have a simple fastening device quickly operable to attach a bundle of wire or other article in any place desired.

I claim:

1. A clamping body comprising a strip of resilient material doubled on itself to present two extreme arms connected by a return bend, one

of the extreme arms being bent inward and then abruptly outward in V-formation to provide a clamping edge spring-pressed toward an intermediate region of the other extreme arm, said clamping body having a cut-out portion defining an elongated opening at the return bend, and a flexible loop having both ends passed from the exterior through said opening, one of said ends being attached to the body between the return bend and the clamping region, and the other of said ends being adapted to be clamped in various positions by said clamping edge.

2. A clamping device comprising a strip of resilient material doubled by a return bend providing two arms, one of which has a spring pressure toward an intermediate region of the other, said clamping device having a cut-out portion defining an elongated opening at the return bend, and a flexible looped strip having one end portion passing through the opening and permanently secured to the body of the clamping deviceby a deformed portion thereof between the return bend and said intermediate region, the other end portion of the loop being adapted to be passed through the opening and into the coacting region between the two arms.

3. A clamping body comprising a strip of resilient material doubled. on itself to present a relativelylong arm and a relatively short arm connected by a return bend, said short arm extending toward an intermediate region of the long arm and by its resilience tending to press inwardly toward such long arm, said clamping body having a cut-out portion defining an arcuately extending elongated opening through the return bend, and a flexible loop having both end portions, one above the other, projecting through the opening in the return bend, the under end portion of the loop being attached to said long arm between the return bend and inner end of the short arm, and the upper end portion of the loop being engaged by the short arm and clamped by it against said intermediate region of the long arm.

GEORGE A. TINNERMAN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 7 Name Date 881,757 Winsor Mar. 10, 1908 1,564,761 Daiker Dec. 8, 1925 1,635,256 Carter July 12, 1927 2,426,708 Robertson et al. Sept. 2, 1947 2,491,290 Tinnerman Dec. 13, 1949 

